One of the best days on the sports calendar is the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Players become legends with classic performances as teams begin the chase to cut down the nets, whether they're No. 1 seeds or sizing up Cinderella's slipper.
Two players who have already found success in the NCAA Tournament are big men Ian Schieffelin (Clemson) and Vladislav Goldin (Michigan).
Meanwhile, John Blackwell is a member of a high-scoring Wisconsin attack. He may become a household name nationally with a standout performance, beginning against Montana.
So, read below for my NCAA Tournament player props for Thursday, March 20.
NCAA Tournament Player Props — 3/20
- John Blackwell Over 16.5 Points (-125, Fanatics)
- Ian Schieffelin Over 8.5 Rebounds (-135, DraftKings)
- Vladislav Goldin Over 18.5 Points (-120, BetMGM)
Wisconsin Player Prop: John Blackwell Over 16.5 Points
1:30 p.m., TNT | vs. Montana
At his third stop, John Tonje has enjoyed a career year, averaging 19.2 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 46% from the field. The sixth-year senior has 14 20-point games and will likely be the focus of Montana's game plan on Thursday.
However, the Grizzlies should also keep a close eye on Blackwell as well.
Blackwell has also seen a significant leap in his sophomore season, nearly doubling his production across the board. He's averaging 15.5 points and 5.1 rebounds a game while shooting 45% from the field.
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, Blackwell has played some of his best basketball of the season. He's scored 17 points in five of his last eight games and finished with 16 in another.
He'll face a Montana defense that ranks 249th in effective field goal percentage defense and 250th in adjusted defensive efficiency.
That's a very appetizing matchup for a player with Blackwell's volume. He's averaging 31 minutes and 12 field goal attempts per game.
In non-conference play, the Grizzlies allowed 79 points to Oregon and 92 points against Tennessee. Wisconsin's team total is 84.5 points for this matchup. If the Badgers score 80 or more, Blackwell will likely have had a significant impact.
Pick: John Blackwell Over 16.5 Points (-125, Fanatics)
Clemson Player Prop: Ian Schieffelin Over 8.5 Rebounds
3:15 p.m., truTV | vs. McNeese
In Clemson's run to the Elite Eight last year, Schieffelin was instrumental down low, with two double-doubles along the way.
The senior has continued his momentum into this season, as he's averaging a career-best 12.8 points to go along with 9.4 rebounds per game.
Schieffelin has gotten to his rebounding season average in 20-of-33 games (61%) this season. That includes seven of his last 10 games entering the NCAA Tournament.
For Clemson's opening-round game, Schieffelin gets a solid matchup. While McNeese is a decent offensive rebounding team, it ranks 259th in defensive rebounding percentage and 261st with 10.9 offensive rebounds allowed per game.
The Cowboys are also just 100th in 2-point field goal percentage. Against Schieffelin, 6-foot-11 Viktor Lakhin and 6-foot-10 Chauncey Wiggins, they may struggle to score in the paint.
Misses coming off close-range shots should keep Schieffelin in position to grab the rebound and add potentially his third career double-double in the NCAA Tournament.
You can take Schieffelin for a double-double at +180 on Fanatics as a two-leg same-game parlay.
Pick: Ian Schieffelin Over 8.5 Rebounds (-135, DraftKings)
Michigan Player Prop: Vladislav Goldin Over 18.5 Points
10 p.m., TBS | vs. UC San Diego
While Schieffelin's NCAA Tournament experience should benefit Clemson, Goldin's experience should benefit Michigan as well.
While at FAU, Goldin helped the Owls reach the Final Four in 2023 and get back to the NCAA Tournament last year. In last year's first-round loss to Northwestern, Goldin had 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
Goldin followed his head coach — Dusty May — to Michigan and has seen a larger role in his final collegiate season. The senior has averaged 16.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Wolverines this season.
He's scored 20 points in seven of his last 10 games. That includes 29 points at rival Michigan State and 25 in a Big Ten Tournament semifinal victory over Maryland.
Goldin has teamed up with Danny Wolf to form a formidable frontcourt duo for the Wolverines.
Michigan's seven-footers should be poised to shine in the first-round matchup. UC San Diego doesn't have a significant contributor that's above 6-foot-8 in its rotation. The Tritons are 19th in 2-point percentage defense, but usually aren't facing the size disadvantage that they'll have against Michigan.
Goldin has attempted 10+ field goals in nine of his last 10 games and is shooting 62% from the field for this season. That makes his 4-for-12 performance against Wisconsin an outlier.
UC San Diego will look to turn Michigan over. However, when Michigan breaks the Tritons' pressure, Goldin may have opportunities for easy baskets, as well as opportunities on post-ups.
Pick: Vladislav Goldin Over 18.5 Points (-120, BetMGM)
